Holding Out For You
by GaHoolianGirl100
Summary: During the fight with Warp, Robin thought he lost Starfire for good...but twenty years later she's back, still the same girl he's been holding out for.


**This is what I see happening to Robin when Starfire disappears in "How Long Is Forever" **

"Starfire!" I cried.

My best friend had just flown through a worm hole, sending her to who knows where in time.

"Where'd she go?" Beast Boy said, barely above a whisper.

I made a fist, and pounded it on the ground. "No," I growl "No..."

I knew the others were watching me with concern, but I didn't care. This is the one time we couldn't get her back. Time Travel was not something we could do. I hit the ground again, harder. Pain shot through my hand, but I ignored it.

"No. No. No..."

I grit my teeth. I had only ever cried twice, but I felt tears well up in my eyes.

"No. No. No, no..."

Every memory of her flashed through my head. That kiss when I first met her, times she grabbed my hand and we flew. All those smiles. All those kind words. Everything.

"No!" I shout. "No!"

I felt Raven's hand on my shoulder. I shrugged it off. I stood up, my cape draping over my shoulders. I walked out. I couldn't cry. Not in front of them. Especially not them.

I found myself on the ledge of an all too familiar building. Wayne Enterprises. It was funny how I was supposed to inherit this place. But that wasn't what was in my mind. I was thinking of when Slade made me strike them down. Her down.

Starfire was the reason the Titans even formed. If she had not escaped her captors that faithful day, there would have been no reason for Beast Boy to intercept that car, save and salute me. There would have been no way Cyborg would have stopped that bus she flung. There would be no way Raven stopped us all and convinced me to do things the peaceful way. She wouldn't have given me the kiss that taught her the language and established our friendship.

I covered my face with my hands. I loved her. I loved her with all my might. I loved her the way I never did with anyone before. And now she was gone. Never knowing, and probably not returning those feelings.

I just couldn't be where I'd think of her, and what could have been.

Under the cover of darkness, I went to the tower, and collected all my stuff. I pet Silkie, and left.

I never went back.

(-)

That was twenty years ago.

Tonight, I was patroling the city when... it happened. Since she disappeared, and the Titans dissolved, the city had fallen apart. I was only back to save the city which held fond memories. I had beaten up a generic burglur when I heard a voice.

No.

No.

No.

It couldn't be. She was gone.

No.

I hopped from building to building, faster than ever before. When I found the source, I almost collapsed.

No.

No.

Starfire...

I saw she was being attacked. By Warp.

"Warp..." I growl.

He was the reason she disappeared, that I had spent ten years holding out for her, before I had to give up, and deal with the sorrow of losing another I loved.

I see her lower her starbolt and look down, dejected. I growl, again. What did he say to her to make her sad?

I hopped down and attacked him. He faded through the ground. I stood in the shadows, afraid to face her.

Afraid I was imagining the whole thing.

"It's good to see you again," I choke out.

"Robin?"

"I haven't used that name in a long time. Call me Nightwing."

She smiles, with teary eyes. She slowly walks up to me and hugs me. I have the urge to cry too, but I wasn't going to show her. I end up finally accepting her hug, and began to lead her to my hide out.

(-)

And now, we are facing off against Warp again.

He is fixing his device.

I am throwing bombs, and she is shooting starbolts.

When I get close enough to go melee on him, I do. I attack him with everything I've got.

"You took away years we might have had together!" my head shouted, "and now you'll pay!"

After a few minutes of fighting, the other Titans arrive. He throws a bomb at us, and I throw a bomerang at it, slicing it in half and hitting his chest device. He reverts back to baby form.

Beast...well, Beast Man, now, makes a comment about diapers, and Cyborg prepares a wormhole for Star. I watch her walk forwards.

"Please, must this truly be our future? Is there nothing I can do to change it?"

I walk forwards. I look into her eyes for a split second, and lean forward, as if to kiss her. But I think better of it. She was still 16, and I'm 35 now.

"I'm sorry Star, there isn't time."

I grab her hand, and place the clock which was the cause of all this in her hands.

'Go', my eyes say.

She smiles at us all, looking like she might cry, and walks through the wormhole.

I feel the world essentially dissolving. Which means she succeeds. She changed our future. Made it so we never had to be apart for twenty years. Maybe even to where I can finally tell her...

"I love you," I murmur, as this future collapses around me.

**I made myself sad! Wahhh...but really, in "How Long Is Forever", you could totally tell that Robin was holding out for Starfire. This fic kinda wrote itself.**


End file.
